I’m currently on the road and writing this in a hotel. As always, I wish I could read more of the other stories but I should be able to pretty soon in the future.
Bruised Heartwood
The gnarled old oak tree on the hill loved Jenny. He loved watching her spread her picnic blanket in his shade.
“I’ll dress up for Halloween,” he said, and propped a goat’s skull in the crook of his branches.
But no one saw or cared, even Jenny who was at a party.
His heartwood was wounded deeply, and tearing up roots long planted, he rampaged through the town.
They caught him, cut him down, chopped him up. “Trees go bad,” they said.
But Jenny didn’t dance around the fire they made and her heart ached, although she didn’t know why.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:31 pm
Dear David,
As always, I appreciate your dedication to Friday Fictioneers. You have quite an imagination going on. I love it that there was a connection of sorts between Jenny and the tree. I’m envisioning the oak pulling up roots and rampaging through the town. Quite a sight.
Safe Travels and Shalom,
Rochelle
June 27th, 2014 at 12:51 am
Thats what love does.. makes one tear away from roots and run.. and it connects even after death.. superb David !
June 27th, 2014 at 6:30 am
Great story.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:46 am
I wonder . . . if he stubbed his roots and fell . . . and nobody heard him fall . . . would he still make a sound? Wood he, wood he, hee??
June 28th, 2014 at 8:05 am
Maybe he wood have. 🙂 Great comment.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:09 am
Intriguing….
June 27th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Dear David, Great story and the bonfire they made, Jenny didn’t feel very happy about. She knew something wasn’t right. Great imagination! Nan 🙂
June 27th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
strange but thoroughly enjoyable story!
June 27th, 2014 at 5:50 pm
Great piece of magical realism. Very sad.
June 28th, 2014 at 3:52 am
Oh, I especially like your last line, David. The tree lives on in spirit, maybe it will haunt her forever. Nice one!
June 28th, 2014 at 5:27 am
Sometimes we don’t even know why we are sad.. but any tree making havoc like that is a threat to society…
June 28th, 2014 at 7:44 am
A dark yet sweet story. A tree in love with a girl is an interesting concept indeed!
June 29th, 2014 at 5:00 pm
David, Perhaps I was never sensitive enough. I used to live among trees, but never noticed any showing affection for me. It’s a good thing Jenny didn’t have picnics under any other trees. That tree might have come after her in the woods. Bjorn’s right. We can’t have trees taking the law into their own roots. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
July 5th, 2014 at 9:32 am
Got here late although they do say, “Better late than never.” Good story, David.
Best wishes as you relocate.
Cheers!
MG
July 5th, 2014 at 11:06 pm
Thanks. I’m back in the US now, although still unsettled. I’m hoping to get into a routine again soon.
July 6th, 2014 at 3:24 am
If you ever figure out “routine,” please let me know your secret. 🙂 I’ve been flailing around without one for about 3 years now.
July 29th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
So, Jenny does feel some strange sadness and connection to the tree, even though she doesn’t realise what it is. Great read